“It Should Translate On The Field”
May 10th, 2010
Raheem The Dream recently told the world he feels like the Bucs are “three years ahead” of schedule now that they’ve fired their previous coordinators and are entering 2010 with stability.
Mark Dominik has talked openly about how beneficial it is to the team to have the coaching ranks all on the same page on both sides of the ball for an entire offseason.
And Earnest Graham, in an exclusive interview with Joe last week, said the Bucs’ new-found stability, especially at the quarterback position, “should translate on the field.”
Joe: Obviously, the Bucs will come to camp in a much more stable, familiar situation than last year. Will that continuity really make a difference?
Graham: It’s a huge deal. Years past, the years I was under Gruden, we changed quarterbacks a lot. Whether it was Chris Simms, Brian Griese, Bruce Gradkowski, Jeff Garcia, Griese … that’s hard on a football team even with the same coaching staff. And then last year…the league is tough enough, and then you throw all those changes in. It’s tough on a football team, especially a young football team. ….It has to help, going in knowing what you’re going to get, knowing who the quarterback is. It should translate on the field.
So if you’re not keeping score, that’s the front office, the head coach and an intelligent veteran player all offering sound reasons why the team should be better without even mentioning the talent upgrade on the defensive line and the expected improvement of promising youngsters Josh Freeman, Sammie Stroughter, Aqib Talib, Tanard Jackson, Geno Hayes and more.
This is why Joe laughs at those who believe Team Glazer doesn’t have a number on Raheem The Dream’s head for the 2010 season.
Team Glazer surely buys in to the notion that the Bucs should be better in 2010, and ready to seize the rare opportunity of four home games in their first six with a bye in between.
Pat Kirwan says 8-8 is a good, high goal for the 2010 Bucs. At this point, Joe can say he’d be somewhat satisfied and impressed by six wins.
Joe has to believe Team Glazer will be at least working the phones if Raheem The Dream can’t put a 5 in the win column.
May 10th, 2010 at 11:55 am
It’s not the amount of wins so much as how we do on Sundays. If we are competetive in every game, it is progress. I would hope that we win atleast 6 games this year, but honestly, if our offense and defense both rank in the top 20, and we keep evey game close….it wouldn’t matter if we managed to go 3-13 again. It would still be progress.
May 10th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
By that same logic, shouldn’t the 2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been EVEN BETTER than the 2002 SB Champion Bucs? Surely, they wouldn’t have gone 7-9 and missed the playoffs when their QB, coaching staff and vast majority of starters returned…
May 10th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Same reason as for keeping Richard Williamson. That Leeman Bennet continuity also did wonders, and of course Ray Perkins, Wyche, etc.
Worked out equally well for Rod Marinelli.
Remind me again, having a bunch of rookies in your starting line-up is a good thing, why?
An excellent method to get totally embarrassed.
May 10th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Tom, in 2003 MEshawn Johnson was a huge headache and benched mid way thru the season. Plus Gruden and McCay’s relationship was so bad McCay was released before the end of the season. Too much drama in the LBC that year.
May 10th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
What a joke! It’s just laughable to see how low the standards have been set around here. 6-10?? Are you freakin kidding me??!!!
JDouble:
” but honestly, if our offense and defense both rank in the top 20, and we keep evey game close….it wouldn’t matter if we managed to go 3-13 again. It would still be progress.”
JDouble, seriously? You’d be happy with 3-13 again? Wow, I wonder about some of you guys. THE PLAYOFFS SHOULD BE OUR GOAL. NOT 6-10 or 5-11 or 3-13. No matter how untalented or talented our team is, our goal should be to make the playoffs and do well if we get there. That should be every team’s goal. Yeah we need to show progress. But that “progress” needs to translate into “WINS.”
If we can’t win at least 8 games with our easy ass schedule, then Raheem needs to be fired. When you’re playing teams like the browns, lions, rams, seahawks, 6-10 is unacceptable. And really you can’t even feel that good about 8 wins when you look at our schedule. If 6-10 is the case, i hate to see what’s it going to be like when we actually have a harder schedule against teams like the Pats, Colts, Cowboys, Packers, etc.
May 10th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
JDouble, as they say, familiarity breeds contempt.
May 10th, 2010 at 7:06 pm
The koolaid drinkers get very, very agitated when the subject of actual wins and losses comes up.
Very timid responses, usually along the lines of “it doesn’t really matter” or complete surrender with “id be ok with 3-13”.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement of Coach Morris.
May 10th, 2010 at 9:09 pm
@ Patrick
Of course making the playoffs or better yet, the Super Bowl is our goal. Predictions of 6 wins or maybe 8 if we’re lucky are simply predictions of how much progress we’ll make towards that goal this year. Is it where any of us fans want to be? Of course not, we’d rather be watching our team make a run for the Lombardi Trophy. But be realistic, jumping from a 3-13 team to a Super Bowl contender in one season just doesn’t happen often (the Dolphins come to mind a couple years ago, but I can’t think of another off the top of my head).
May 10th, 2010 at 9:15 pm
@ Eric
You left out part of his quote. He said “if the team made progress” he’d be ok with 3-13, which in his opinion was improved rankings on offense or defense. I wouldn’t say I agree with that, as the schedule shouldn’t be as difficult this year. If we simply add 1 win based on the fact that we aren’t playing a home game in London this year, that would be better. The most difficult part of the schedule comes in the cross country travel to play the NFC West, but even that shouldn’t be a “back breaker”. I, personally, would like to see 6 wins minimum this year. If they get 4 or 5, but lost 3 or 4 very close games, I may be “ok” with that enough to say “lets see what happens in year 3”. May, not will. It’s based on my opinion of how the team played, and whether or not they showed improvement. Your opinion will differ, and that’s ok. Our expectations are different, and that’s ok too.
May 10th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
@BamBamBuc
Your right about opinions, “making progress” and 3-13 do not compute at all IMO, better statistics or not.
I am frankly dumfounded by the concept.
As for expectations, I am antcipating 3-13, so were in agreement on that.
May 10th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
Eric: henceforth you shall be known as Mr. Sunshine.
May 10th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
HaHa…. I think you are confused, Eric. We are not in agreement on 3-13. I said I expect 6 wins or more this season. I might accept less if there are enough close games and the team has obviously improved it’s play, even though losing close ones. Time will tell which of us is correct in that regard, but both of us being fans of the team, I think it’d be safe to say we’d both rather have me be right and get more wins.
May 10th, 2010 at 10:20 pm
@bambambuc
More wins the better, im in agreement and would love to see it happen.
May 10th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
Once again I wish Rah Rah would just keep his piehole shut. If we’re three years ahead of schedule we should at least be in the playoffs this year if not the Super Bowl. Rah Rah really is delusional. Someone should shove a sock in his mouth everytime he opens his lips.